Connecticut western news., 1887-07-27
An Apache Ambus cade.
BY c. A. MAHONY,

Were you ever in fight with Apache Indians? was in one and do not in the slightest degree crave for repetition of the experience. It took place in August, 1881, when Mana with his band of Mescalero Apaches were raiding and desolating Grant, Dona and Socorro counties in New Mexico. Before this event the people had enjoyed few months respite from the ravages of the old chief Victorio, whom the alleged bad faith of the government had driven on the war path. For two years and half -Victorioa had .set Colonel Hatch and his colored Ninth cavalry at defiance, and civilization and progress were arrested by the scalding knife of the savage. In that period 400 men, women and chil- dren were tortured, outraged and mur- dered with that fiendish cruelty which stamps. the Apache as the most ruthless and merciless of American Indians.
 In an evil day for himself, but happy one for New Mexico, Victoria ventured to cross the Mexican border into the State of Chihuahua. This Mexican state has no maudlin sympathy for incarnate fends such as the Apaches. It puts a price upon an Indians scalp the same as upon that df wolf, and sufficiently large to urge its soldiers to the greatest activity. It was to the Mexicans under General Luis Terrassas that the Terri tory of New Mexico owed its temporary relief from the faids of the Apaches. He surprised victs sdo and his band in the Costillos Mountains about eighty-fve miles southwest of Fl Paso, killed most of the braves, including Victorio, and took forty-four squaws and children prisoners.
 Unfortunately, Nina, Victorio's lieu tenant, and about twenty braves made their escape. They were joined by a number of renegades from the Mescalero Apache agency, al with the advent of the rainy season, which begins in July and ends with September, another Indian war was lnaugurated. Mana was a younger and more active man than Vic torio, and the rapidity of his movements paralyzed the troops. A splendid In dian, he stood five feet and eight inches in height, we'll set, wiry and noted in the tribe as fleet runner. He can outtravel a horse and keep it ap for days together. His daring raids in two months estab. hshed reign of terror throughout New Mexico. The trains on the Southern Pa cifc were guarded by troops, stage. ceased to run, freighting was stopped and towns were as thoroughly cut of from supplies as though they were under going regular siege For weeks in Sil yer City, the seat of Grant county, th' bakers baked bread but once week, ant the common necessities of life reached famine prices.
 Such was the state of affairs when, oI the evening of August IS, the little com mand of twenty men from the Nintl Cavalry, with which I had offered t, 
 serve as volunteer, rode into the mining camp of Lake Valley to rest for a fev hours before taking up the trail of tn
 willy Mana. Lieutenant George w
 Smith, a veteran of the civil war and a
 gallant soldier as ever drew saber, wa
 in command.
 There was very bad feeling existing
 at the time between the citizens and th
 troops The latter were denounced a worse than useless, as not caring to .tigh the Indians, and as having we'll earne ! the sobriquet of 'buffalo" soldiers, whic ] old Victoria had bestowed upon them i | derision of their futile attempts to van , quish him. Among the men aroun ? Lake Valley who shared this sentimen D to an absurd degree was George Daly t Superintendent of the Lake Valley mine an old Californian and Colorado miner , and man of the most desperate coul l age. During the rest at L:Se Valle r Daly taunted Lieutenant Smith for nc { pressing the Apaches strongly. 6mit ] explained that he had but tNegfy mel